U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Speaker of the House John Boehner (R) watch as U.S. President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, January 20, 2015. (Reuters/Larry Downing) / Reuters

President Barack Obama pushed for a raft of proposals crafted to boost the middle class in his 2015 State of the Union speech, marking the first time he addressed a GOP Congress that largely opposes his governing agenda.

Much of President
Obama’s address – like his last two annual speeches – focused on
the plight of the middle class, which is struggling with stagnant
wages even as the American economy bounces back from the
recession caused by the 2008 financial crisis. He also
highlighted the growing wealth and inequality gap in the United
States, saying the country now has an
opportunity"turn
the page"on
recession and give every citizen“a fair shot.”

“At this moment – with a growing economy, shrinking deficits,
bustling industry, and booming energy production – we have risen
from recession freer to write our own future than any other
nation on Earth,” the president said. “It’s now up to us
to choose who we want to be over the next 15 years, and for
decades to come.”

“Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do
spectacularly well? Or will we commit ourselves to an economy
that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes
the effort?”

To address these problems, Obama outlined plans that would
increase the capital-gains tax rate on family incomes over
$500,000 a year in order to pay for tax cuts for the middle
class, close tax loopholes on inheritance, and provide students
with two years of free community college education.

Since Obama spent the past couple of weeks detailing these
initiatives, he didn't spend much time diving into many details.
Instead of going through a "checklist of proposals," he
said he wanted to "focus more on the values at stake
in the choices before us." The contents of his speech were
even released to the public ahead of the event for the first
time.

As with his previous
proposals intended to help the middle class, Obama faces a tough
task in trying to get legislation passed through the
Republican-controlled Congress. The GOP has come out against the
president’s community college plan – calling it
a“non-starter”–
and has instinctively opposed tax hikes on the wealthy for
decades, making Obama’s agenda unlikely to gain the support of
conservative lawmakers.

Nevertheless, Obama outlined an economic vision that could become
the basis for the Democratic platform moving forward and into the
2016 elections. In addition to announcing tax and education
plans, he called on lawmakers to establish paid family and
medical leave programs for workers, to give government employees
at least six weeks of paid parental leave, and offer cheaper
child care for Americans.

“Middle-class economics works,” Obama said.
“Expanding opportunity works. And these policies will
continue to work, as long as politics don’t get in the way.”

Obama added that it's past time for Congress to issue a law
mandating that women in the same positions as men are paid the
same amount.

"This Congress still
needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a
man for doing the same work. Really. It's 2015. It's time,"
he said.

Foreign Policy: Islamic State, Cuba and Iran

Looking beyond America’s borders, the president said the US is
making progress in its effort to battle the Islamic State in Iraq
and Syria (also known as ISIS/ISIL), and officially asked
Congress to pass a resolution authorizing the use of military
force against the group.

He added that US efforts, alongside their Arab partners and other
coalition members, are “stopping ISIL’s advance” while keeping
America from “getting dragged into another ground war in the
Middle East.”

“I believe in a smarter kind of American leadership,”
Obama said. “We lead best when we combine military power with
strong diplomacy; when we leverage our power with coalition
building; when we don’t let our fears blind us to the
opportunities that this new century presents. That’s exactly what
we’re doing right now – and around the globe, it is making a
difference.”

Aside from the battle against the Islamic State, Obama said the
US’ combat mission in Afghanistan is over for the first time
since 9/11, noting that just 15,000 troops remain in the country
– compared to 150,000 one year ago.

On reestablishing diplomatic ties with Cuba, Obama said his
administration ended a policy of isolation that was "long
past its expiration date." He called on Congress to begin
ending the embargo against the country, citing Pope Francis when
describing the work of diplomacy is done in "small
steps." This is the first time an American president has
asked Congress to end the Cuban embargo.

Obama also defended the White House's approach to Iran, saying
more time is needed to see if world powers can negotiate an
agreement with the country regarding its controversial nuclear
program. He threatened to veto any bill that could derail talks
by imposing new sanctions.

"There are no guarantees that negotiations will succeed, and
I keep all options on the table to prevent a nuclear Iran,"
the president said. "But new sanctions passed by this
Congress, at this moment in time, will all but guarantee that
diplomacy fails – alienating America from its allies; and
ensuring that Iran starts up its nuclear program again. It
doesn’t make sense."

Meanwhile, he praised US policy for "opposing Russian aggression,
supporting Ukraine’s democracy, and reassuring our NATO
allies," saying that Russia is "isolated" and has
an "economy in tatters."

With Guantanamo still open, Obama vows closure

Speaking about the Guantanamo Bay prison complex in Cuba, Obama
reiterated his intention to shut down the facility. Obama said
America has a "profound commitment to justice," noting
that the cost of keeping the prison open -- some $3 million per
prisoner -- cannot be justified when the world is against its
operation and terrorists use it as a recruiting tool. The
president said the complex's inmate population has been cut in
half since he became president.

Obama stays away from police reform

Notably, the president chose not to speak much on the topic of
police reform, referring to the controversial deaths of Michael
Brown and Eric Garner as "the events of Ferguson and New
York." He called on people to understand a father's concern
that his son would be harassed by police for walking home, as
well as a wife's fear that her police officer husband could be
injured or killed on duty. He noted that crime and incarceration
rates are down, and said the country's criminal justice system
should serve all Americans.

However, police reform advocates criticized Obama for failing to
dig into the issue and take a strong stand on it, especially
considering the massive anti-police-brutality protests that have
swarmed the nation.

"The events in Ferguson and New York" = "Mass movement
protesting law enforcement officials who kill with impunity".
ICYMI. #SOTU

Obama seeks 'fast-track' for trade deals

Seeking some common ground with the GOP, Obama renewed his
support for a pair of international trade deals currently being
negotiated with Europe and countries in the Pacific. Obama asked
Congress to grant him “fast-track” negotiating authority to
secure his ability to finalize the pacts and pass them through
the legislative branch more easily, arguing that it's part of
America's efforts to maintain influence in the Pacific.

"In the Asia Pacific, we are modernizing alliances while
making sure that other nations play by the rules -- in how they
trade, how they resolve maritime disputes, and how they
participate in meeting common international challenges like
nonproliferation and disaster relief. And no challenge -- no
challenge -- poses a greater threat to future generations than
climate change."

Supporters say the deals will open new markets for American goods
and boost the economy. However, opponents have criticized the
potential agreements for being conducted largely in secret.
Leaked reports on their contents suggest they are too
corporate-friendly, reduce regulations on companies, and decrease
internet privacy.

Improving America's cybersecurity

Obama also prioritized efforts to enhance cybersecurity in the
wake of the hack against Sony. The president wants Congress to
pass legislation, which requires companies to notify customers if
their data has been compromised within one month of a breach. He
also called for a law that would promote information sharing
between the government and the private sector.

“No foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down
our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the privacy of
American families, especially our kids," Obama said. "We
are making sure our government integrates intelligence to combat
cyber threats, just as we have done to combat terrorism."

“If we don’t act, we’ll leave our nation and our economy
vulnerable. If we do, we can continue to protect the technologies
that have unleashed untold opportunities for people around the
globe.”

Additionally, the president reiterated his support for
municipalities to build their own internet infrastructure, a
proposal that, if supported by the Federal Communications
Commission, would bypass laws on the books in about 20 states
that ban local governments from offering their own internet
service.

Climate change action needed

Obama also pointed to a
climate change pact sealed with China late last year as a sign
that America is focused on fighting global warming. He added that
14 of the warmest years ever recorded have occurred during the
last 15 years, indicating that scientists are right when they say
the Earth is getting hotter.

"The best scientists
in the world are all telling us that our activities are changing
the climate, and if we do not act forcefully, we’ll continue to
see rising oceans, longer, hotter heat waves, dangerous droughts
and floods, and massive disruptions that can trigger greater
migration, conflict, and hunger around the globe," the
president said. "The Pentagon says that climate change poses
immediate risks to our national security. We should act like
it."

The tan suit stays in the closet

On a more lighthearted note, many Americans breathed a sigh of
relief when the president chose to deliver his speech in a navy
blue suit. Prior to the speech, the White House tweeted a picture
of the tan suit Obama wore during a press conference last year --
an outfit that earned him numerous snide comments from sartorial
critics everywhere. Fortunately, the president decided to leave
that suit behind.

The president wasn't the only Obama making a fashion statement
Tuesday evening. His wife, Michelle, drew the attention of
Americans and social media users by wearing the same dress as the
character Alicia Florrick from the popular television show "The
Good Wife."